


Bro or Boyfriend?

by ChildOfSolace



Series: Snow bros in Love [1]
Category: Max & Shred (TV)
Genre: Adopted fic (sort of), Like really snail pace slow burn, M/M, Rewrite, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 07:20:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20305594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChildOfSolace/pseuds/ChildOfSolace
Summary: Max eavesdrop on a conversation between Alvin and Howie. He discovers Alvin has a crush on a guy. How will he react when he finds out that guy is him?





	1. Confided Secret

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** Originally written by FFNet's user, RainbowFez. It's been discontinued, and I think deleted, but I've got a copy stored somewhere. So I decided to revive it. Unless the user comes forward and ask to me do otherwise. It was such an amazing fic, such a shame it didn't have a solid conclusion. Something I hope to fix.
> 
> Proofreading mostly, and only slight inserts added. These parts will be shown in notes. Just so you folks know where to give credit. It's still entirely RainbowFez's work.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alvin tells Howie his secret. Max hears about it... sort of.

Alvin lay on his bed listening to Max ramble on about some snowboarding thing. He really wasn't interested but didn't have anything better to do. He also kind of liked listening to Max's voice. Of course he'd never say that out loud. He could never tell his little secret. No, his big secret. Max Asher had every girl swooning for him. Unfortunately Alvin had somehow been tacked in with that group.

Yes, Alvin was in love with Max Asher, the boy he was sharing a room for, a boy that he had nothing in common with, a boy who considered him like a brother. He could never say that out loud.

"Shred, are you even listening?" Max called.

Alvin jumped, not realizing he'd closed his eyes. "No, not really." he admitted.

Max frowned but just rolled his eyes. "What could possibly more important than listening to the amazing Max Asher recount his greatest victory?" he said, protecting to be insulted.

"Watching paint dry?" Alvin said, sarcastically.

"Watch it bro. You don't wanna make me angry." Max warned in a fake angry tone.

Alvin laughed at him and got up, heading to leave the room.

"Oh, no you don't!" Max yelled, jumping at the other boy.

Alvin screamed in shock as Max put him in a head lock and started nooggying.

"Ahhhh!"

Alvin tried to wriggle out of the other boy's grasp. He was both angry and excited that Max had his toned arms around him. Finally Max released him.

"That'll teach you." Max laughed.

Alvin growled at him and stomped out of the room.

Two hours later Max had left the house to practice snowboarding again. Alvin grudgingly headed back to his room to start on the robot him and Howie were supposed to start almost a week ago. His mind just couldn't concentrate with Max looking over his shoulder, fascinated at what they were doing. Alvin hated that cute little confused face made his insides melt. He felt like a pathetic fan girl. Only three minutes after Max had left Howie slid through the window.

"Alvin! Robot Time!" She squealed in a very un-Howie like way. Alvin gave her a weird look. "Do you have all the supplies?" she asked, more seriously. She had picked up on how distracted he was, but thankfully never asked why. Everyone knew he couldn't lie.

"Yeah," He told her, nodding his head.

For the next hour they worked in perfect harmony just like they used to before Max Asher. Of course Alvin couldn't hope to go the rest of the day without being reminded of his terrible crush.

"So where's Max" Howie asked.

Alvin only froze for a second, not long enough for his young protégé to notice. "Training." he said, in a monotone voice.

Howie sighed, looking sad. "That's unfortunate" she said, looking at the wall.

Alvin could almost see the cartoon bubble over her head depicting Max Asher, with his amazing hair and eyes, not to mention his abs. Howie had never seen the other boy shirtless but Alvin shared a room with him and he had to admit the boy was amazingly hot. He never dared to look any lower. That would be so wrong in so many ways.

"Alvin." Howie called, waving her hand in front of his eyes. The cartoon bubble above his head popped.

"Sorry I got distracted." He said.

Howie gave him a look somewhere between annoyance and confusion. "Who is she?" she asked.

"What?" the older of the two asked. Now his heart was pounding at a thousand miles an hour. Actually that wasn't true. If that was true he would be dead.

"You have the Max Asher look." She smirked.

"What?" Alvin squeaked, fear flashing through his eyes

"You have the look I get when I think about Max." Howie smiled, her thought bubble returning for only a second. "So, who is she?"

"There isn't anyone." He told her, his voice squeaking toward the end. Howie gave him a look.

"You've been acting weird all week. At least, last time you told me who the girl was." She mumbled. She was actually hurt that he wouldn't confide in her.

"There isn't anyone" He told her sternly.

"Fine." she hissed at him. "Be that way. I just wish you wouldn't keep secrets."

At that moment the front door opened and a certain snowboarding champion walked in.

"Howie please." Alvin begged.

"No." she hissed.

Max froze his hand outside the door. Shred and Howie were fighting. IN his entire time here he'd never seen them fight.

"There isn't anyone." Alvin told her again.

"Yes, there is!" she said angrily, sadness in her eyes. "You're like a brother to me, an older sometimes really annoying and weird brother, but I'm digressing. I tell you everything. Why can't you do the same?" She stepped out the window.

Feeling guilty, Alvin called out to her. "Wait." He nearly shouted. She stopped, one foot out the window. "Come back in." he muttered.

Howie did as she was told, sitting down on Max's bed. "Well?" She asked after a second.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone" Alvin said in resignation, conceding that he needed to tell someone, having one outlet is better than none, after all.

Howie looked confused, the fear evident in his voice. "Of course." she drawled out.

Max had his ear to the door now. Alvin's voice became a whisper and he couldn't make out what he was saying.

"I kind of have a crush on Max." Alvin whispered.

Howie's eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open. "OH! My! God" She yelled "You like MA….mmph!"

Alvin covered her mouth. "Shhh!" he hissed. "Do you want the whole house to hear?"

Howie nodded her head, promising to keep quiet. Reluctantly Alvin removed his hand. "You're Gay." she hissed, mentally whip-lashed with the discovery.

"_No._" Alvin grumbled, before taking a breath. "No." he said, more calmly. "It's just him."

Howie sat quietly on the bed. She was just upset that her best friend would keep secrets from her, she didn't mean to make him to force him to come out. She had a feeling not even Abby knew. In a way, she was touched. That he was willing to put himself in an uncomfortable situation for her sake and their friendship. But Howie knew how Alvin felt about confrontations, and she knew it took a lot of mental effort for him to go through with it.

Now she felt bad, all of the sudden.

"Do you want me to leave?" Howie asked quietly.

Alvin nodded. "I would... appreciate the space, for now."

Outside the door Max's mouth was wide open and his brain didn't seem to be working.

_Shred liked a guy!_

It was a shock but he was also really disappointed. Max was disappointed that Shred didn't trust him enough to tell him. They were supposed to be bros.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **My inserts**
> 
> 1.) "..You're like a brother to me, an older sometimes really annoying and weird brother, but I'm digressing.."
> 
> 2.) .. in resignation, conceding that he needed to tell someone, having one outlet is better than none, after all.
> 
> 3.) Replaced this (not out of anger but out of shock.) with .. mentally whip-lashed with the discovery.
> 
> 4.) ..before taking a breath.
> 
> 5.) ..Howie sat quietly on the bed. She was just upset that her best friend would keep secrets from her, she didn't mean to make him to force him to come out. She had a feeling not even Abby knew. In a way, she was touched. That he was willing to put himself in an uncomfortable situation for her sake and their friendship. But Howie knew how Alvin felt about confrontations, and she knew it took a lot of mental effort for him to go through with it.
> 
> Now she felt bad, all of the sudden.
> 
> 6.) .."I would... appreciate the space, for now."


	2. Bomb dropped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This [Link](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10811180/32/Bro-or-Boyfriend) still exists in google, but I can't seem to access it. You guys can try, if you want.

Max walked through the door making the other two jump. Shred's face went white and Howie was stiff as a board.

"What's up with you two?" Max asked, hoping they were too shocked to notice the obvious sadness in his voice.

"I'm gonna go." Howie said before rushing out the window faster than what should have been possible.

"_He-ey,_" Alvin stuttered.

"Why're you acting so weird?" Max asked, as he removed his snow gear.

Alvin didn't respond until Max turned to look at him. "No reason..." He mumbled.

Max frowned but didn't ask anything else. If Shred didn't want to talk to him then fine. With a huff Max exited the room. Alvin finally noticed that Max seamed upset.

How much had he heard? Should Alvin ask? But if he didn't hear anything then he'd know something was up and then he'd be relentless to find out what it was.

Once Max set his mind to something nothing could stop him. It was one of the things Alvin loved about him.

"Max," The genius choked out. The other boy turned. Alvin tried to keep the fear out of his voice but didn't succeed very well. Both boys stared at each other, waiting.

"Shred, do you trust me?" Max asked.

Alvin's body went numb. "Um, yeah..." He whispered. They stood in silence again. "You heard me and Howie?" He asked.

Max nodded. "Why didn't you tell me" He asked.

Alvin's body released some tension. Max didn't seem mad. Maybe he hadn't heard the last part. "How much did you hear?"

"You like a guy." Max stated. He waited again for a response. It really shocked him that Shred was acting like this. He always had something to say. He'd never get loss for words or say stuff that made no sense. He always acted like he knew what he was talking about not clamming up. "Shred, you can talk to me" Max said, walking toward the boy. "We're bros" He added, putting his hand on the other's shoulder.

Alvin averted his eyes. "Ummm" he muttered. "I've got to go." In a rush he was out the door and rushing down the hall.

Max sighed and sat down on the bed. He looked over as the window opened. "Hey." He muttered to Howie.

"Hi..." she said just as glumly.

"So... Shred's gay. Or Bi, since we did like that one girl." Max stated as the little girl sat down next to him.

Howie sighed, "Guess so." she said. "You were listening." Max nodded. "It doesn't look like you took it well..." She said sadly, her eyes on the floor. 

Howie might like Max but she'd never want Alvin to get his heart broken by him either. Plus, what Alvin felt seemed more serious than her little admiration. At least Max didn't hit him or something. But she wouldn't have thought he'd be like that. He and Alvin were friends and Max was loyal. Unfortunately people don't always react the way they should.

"I thought I took it fine." Max grumbled. "He was the one who ran off."

"I guess you're right..." Howie said. "At least you didn't punch him."

Max's eyebrows shot into his hair. "You thought I'd hit him?" He said in a shocked and hurt tone. He crossed his arms in front of him. The room felt cold all of a sudden.

"No, not really." she conceded. "It's just, you're straight and Alvin's you're friend." She told him.

Max still looked confused. "Yeah. He's my friend, of course I'd accept him."

"Yeah," Howie shrugged, "but guys don't always react well when they find out the boy there've been sharing a room with was in love with them."

Time seemed to slow down.

"WHAT!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **My inserts**
> 
> 1.) "So... Shred's gay. Or Bi, since we did like that one girl."
> 
> 2.) She might like Max but she'd never want Alvin to get his heart broken by him either. Plus, what Alvin felt seemed more serious than her little admiration


	3. Dreaming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **My insert**
> 
> 1.) The girl paled, realizing in dread how she completely betrayed her friend's secret.

"WHAT!" Max shouted, jumping up.

Howie looked scared. "But I thought you heard" she said softly, pulling her legs to her chest.

"Shred likes me!" He gasped, running his hands through his hair. He turned in circles, unable to think.

"You didn't hear that?"

"No!" His voice was loud, too loud.

The girl paled, realizing in dread how she completely betrayed her friend's secret. Howie jumped from the bed and jumped through the window. The moment she left he fell back onto his bed.

Max closed his eyes to keep the light from his eyes. _Shred liked me! Shred liked me! Shred liked him! How am I supposed to react? Shred's my bro! My best friend_. Alvin had been there for him since he first got here.

Okay, that wasn't completely true. Alvin didnt really like him that much at first, but he offered up his room anyway and helped him around school. And ever since their closure after he accidentally impersonated Max and landed himself at the hospital. He'd helped Max out so often even if it put himself in harm's way.

How was he supposed to react? He knew lots of people who'd punch Shred in the face or beat him up. He could leave, find another house to stay in when he trained. He could sleep on the couch or kick Shred out of their room. Or, he could pretend he didn't know. He could say nothing, keep Shred a friend, at least on his side. As his mind panicked over Shred his thought became more clouded and eventually his thought turned to dreams.

Max dreamed a normal dream. He was flying down a perfect slope, the wind at his back and the sun shining down on him. This was one of those times he knew he was in a dream. He loved these dreams because he could make himself do anything. The slope disappeared as he flew higher into the air. He was literally shredding air. But he crashed and everything went dark.

"What happened?" his dream self mumbled.

This never happened. This was his dream. He was supposed to control everything.

"Max!" Max!"

A familiar voice shouted in panic. For some reason Max didn't want to open his eyes. He didn't want to see his bro's face. He didn't know why but it was an extremely strong urge.

"Max! Please wake up" Shred shouted. He felt hands on his shoulders shaking him. A shaking finger went to his neck to check his pulse. Still, he didn't want to open his eyes. "He has no pulse!" Shred shouted to someone in the distance.

Max had to have a pulse. He couldn't be dead. He'd long forgotten this was a dream and he felt a panic fill him. He needed to open his eyes. He couldn't drift away. But he still didn't want to. The urge only increased.

"Shred!" He tried to shout because there was no one else, no one else to save him. He tried again but still no noise came out. He felt hands on his chest pushing down again and again. Then he felt his head be tilted back. He didn't know what was going on. He felt that there was something in his memory but it was fogged. All he knew was Shred was trying to save him.

With those final thoughts his mind went blank. But it wasn't because he was gone. It was because he felt a pair of soft lips on his own. Sparks shot through his body and he opened his eyes. They were standing on a beach in front of a sunset like one of those cheesy love scenes girls liked for some reason even though it was the same thing every time.

His thought turned back to the lips on his own. It was amazing. He tilted his head more and pushed his chest farther into the other boy. He felt an arm on his back and he placed his on the boy's waist.

With a scream Max woke up to Shred shaking him, a panic look in his eyes. Max realized he was breathing heavy and covered in sweat.


	4. Kiss, don't tell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **My inserts**
> 
> 1.) An awkward silence passed.
> 
> 2.) Max didn't know what to do when Shred started rambling, but despite all this he didn't like seeing him so upset. Between his stress over the revelations and the lingering kiss from the dream, Max acted before thinking, as he was wont to do.

"Max! Oh, thank god!" Shred gasped, stepping away from the boy.

Max stayed still. He couldn't get the image of himself and Shred kissing. Where the heck had that come from? He was straight. He liked girls. He loved girls. All the girls wanted him. Shred was his bro. He was straight!

"Max? Are you ok?" Shred prodded gently.

"What happened?" He asked, shivering.

"You were having a nightmare" Shred said, concern in his voice. "I walked in and you were flailing around." Max shivered. Trying to block out the image of kissing shred. "Max?" the other boy asked. Max opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them. "Are you sick?" Alvin asked.

Max watched the other boy talk, watching his lips move. Oh god those lips! "I have to go" Max shouted, rushing out of the room.

Alvin tried to follow but was stopped short by his sister. "What did you do to Max?" she asked angrily.

"Nothing!" Alvin growled at her. Why did she always think he was to blame?

"Then why did he just run out the front door without a coat on?" Her voice was hard.

Alvin's eyes widened. What was Max thinking? He cod get hypothermia! He pushed past his sister and slipped into his coat, grabbing Max's as well. He ran through the snow as fast as he could. He knew where Max went and he knew he wasn't fast enough to catch up with him. That meant He'd have to meet Max on top of the slope.

Sure enough, thirty minutes later when Alvin summited the ski slope, Max was leaning against a tree shivering.

"Max!" Alvin called.

The other boy jumped three feet in the air. "Sh-sh-shred?" He stuttered though his shaking teeth. "What are you d-d-doing here?"

"You forgot your Jacket" Alvin answered, keeping his eyes on the snow.

What was he thinking? Max didn't want to see him. He was the reason why Max was out there. Howie had told him last night what happened. He couldn't be mad at her. He wanted to but couldn't. He should have known Max would react badly.

"Th-thanks..." Max stuttered, taking the jacket from Alvin. He zipped it up and sat on the ground, arms still pressed to his chest.

An awkward silence passed.

"I should go." Alvin said quietly before turning away. He was almost out of hearing range when Max called to him.

"Shred, wait." he called. Alvin turned and saw the other boy gesturing him to come back. His mind raced. What was going to happen? Was Max going to punch him or tell him they couldn't be bros anymore. Even worse, he might say he was leaving. He had reached the still-sitting-Max far too soon for his liking.

Neither boy said anything as Alvin sat down. It made the scientist antsy. He needed to know what was going on.

"So... you know." Alvin whispered.

"Yeah..." Max said, staring at the ground.

"Please don't leave" Alvin said, sounding desperate. "I promise this won't change anything! I don't look at you or anything I promise. I'm sure I'll get over it! Just please don't go! Don't throw away your chance to practice year round just because of me! I'll sleep on the couch if you want. We don't need to share a room anym—"

Alvin was silenced by Max's lips, pressing against his own. Max didn't know what to do when Shred started rambling, but despite all this he didn't like seeing him so upset. Between his stress over the revelations and the lingering kiss from the dream, Max acted before thinking, as he was wont to do. It last only for a second. Max pulled away almost instantly and Alvin couldn't tell if he just imagined that.

"Ummm..." Alvin muttered, his cheeks turning red. "did you just… Kiss me?" He whispered.

Max kept staring at the ground. "I have to go," He said, jumping up and running away, just like he did after he woke up.

Alvin sighed and collapsed on his back. "I think I just ruined everything." he muttered.


End file.
